Vegetable Barley Soup

Awaiting the arrival of the Tuna Fairy.  "We do believe, we do believe..."

Winter is prime time for soup -- great comfort food, economical after all the expensive holiday goodies and well worth the effort for the return you get.  I like to use odds and ends of leftover vegetables in the freezer as well as a few fresh additions. 

Equipment you will need:

• Large crockpot

Ingredients:

•  2 quarts vegetable broth
• 1/2 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 16-oz. bag baby carrots
• 1/2 of a 2 oz. container dehydrated chopped onions
• 1 12-oz. package frozen Southwest blend corn (with red and green bell peppers)
• 1 15-oz. pkg frozen green beans
• 2 envelopes onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's Vegetable Seasoning
• 1 28-oz. can seasoned diced tomatoes
• Leftover vegetables, chopped 
• 3/4 cup Quaker Quick Cooking Barley
• 1 12-oz. package Morningstar Farms Meal Makers crumbles or 1 pound ground beef, browned & drained

Put broth, dehydrated onion, seasoning and onion soup mix into large crock pot set to "High.  Microwave chopped celery for 4 minutes, add to pot.  Microwave carrots until tender (about 6 minutes); cut up and add to pot.  Add corn, green beans, tomatoes, and any other odds and ends of chopped cooked leftover vegetables or those half-packages of frozen veggies you've been meaning to use up.   Simmer on "High" for about 3 hours (or all day -- doesn't much matter).  An hour before serving, add Morningstar crumbles or browned ground beef and raw barley, simmer another hour and it's good.  Season to taste and serve with crusty sourdough artisan bread and salad.  Plenty for 3 or 4 days' eating for 2 to 4 people; may be frozen.  Hint:  Freeze in small containers so you can take some to work.